However, Odissi dancers find themselves pushed to the limit to meet the expectations of the dance’s intensely lyrical form. They passionately express religious stories and spiritual ideas through highly expressive facial expressions and the rhythmic movement of their bodies.

While Odissi historically is predominantly performed by female dancers, 17-year-olds Jayden Roy Joseph and Navineesh Rajendra Chander are proving otherwise.

The duo met through a dance outreach programme designed by the Sutra Foundation to support young talents and provide early exposure to the world of Indian dance, specifically Odissi.

This month, they are gearing up to perform “Trans-formation”, a culmination of their years of training, from Aug 18-20 at Sutra House in Kuala Lumpur.

Renowned dancer Ramli Ibrahim, 70, who is mentoring the two boys, said: “They’ve somehow become much more aware of not just their space, their gestures, but also a refinement in more general areas of their lives.”

He pointed out that even the narrators of the performance are dancers, intensifying the production of the performance for all.

In between rehearsals, the boys found time to speak with FMT Lifestyle about their upcoming performance.

Both share a love for Odissi, an ancient Indian classical dance that combines dance and drama. But they have both faced several battles along the way.

For a start, the physically-gruelling Odissi is not for the weak. But under Ramli’s guidance as artistic director and with their own sheer determination, there is little doubt that the teens will succeed in honing their craft.

Jayden, who hails from the Klang Valley, began dancing with his school’s dance academy.

Deciding to pursue other forms of dance, his parents encouraged him to enrol in Sutra House’s outreach programme.

“It’s been mentally taxing on me. Our pieces are quite difficult and there’s just been a lot of things going on. But I think if we continue to work hard, we can do a good job,” said Jayden.

Coming from a different culture, Jayden admitted that he knew next to nothing about Odissi at first.

“I started out with Bharatanatyam. When master (Ramli Ibrahim) took me to my first Odissi class, it was the first time I watched Odissi and it was quite different from what I used to do,” he said, adding that while it took some getting used to, he soon found himself captivated by the dance style.

Things, however, weren’t so smooth sailing for Navineesh, who comes from the more rural parts of Selangor: Sungai Choh, which lies on the outskirts of Serendah, Rawang.

He said his father, a dispatch rider, had initially disapproved of his son’s interest in dance. Later, after seeing his son’s commitment to his passion, he relented.

As young dancers, both struggled with the judgement of their peers who didn’t quite understand the extracurricular activity of their choice.

“Many people say mostly girls dance Bharatanatyam and the men don’t dance. For me, men can also dance.

“Odissi and Bharatanatyam are things we can learn morals and discipline from. We can get to know the story of the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Krishna,” said Navineesh.

When confronted with naysayers in the early years of dancing, he felt ashamed to be singled out as a male dancer in his school. These days, however, he no longer feels as such. “Now I dance confidently so I can prove men can dance,” he said.

Some of Jayden’s schoolmates had also thought it was “ridiculous” that he was a dancer.

“Sometimes I tell people at school that I dance. They think it’s a little ridiculous because most of the dancers in my school are girls and I’m one of the few boys,” said Jayden.

While sharing this mutual love for the art, each has his own interests and plans for the future. Navineesh enjoys sports and wishes to explore it further.

Meanwhile, Jayden likes to read literary fiction in his free time. Expressing some uncertainty about becoming a professional dancer, he hopes to further his academic studies at university.

“As a career, maybe not, but in the long run, yes, I think I will continue dancing,” said Jayden.

The duo cheerfully call on readers to come and support them for their “Trans-formation” performance this week.

“I think it’s fun!” said Jayden.

Those interested in catching ‘Trans-formation’ may visit the Sutra House website, call 019-333 1092 or email [email protected].

‘Trans-formation’

Where:
Sutra House,
12, Persiaran Titiwangsa 3,
Titiwangsa, Kuala Lumpur.

When:
Aug 18-20 @ 8.30pm

Entry:
Donation of RM50